Analysis of occupational hazards in the drywall industry in the Cariri region, Ceara/Analise dos riscos ocupacionais na industria de placas de gesso acartonado na regiao do Cariri, Ceara/Analisis de los riesgos ocupacionales en la industria de placas de yeso laminado en la region del Cariri, Ceara

The gypsum production chain involves everything from gypsum extraction to its industrial use, with drywall standing out as a construction technology that does not require water for assembly. This research analyzed the working conditions in the finishing process of drywall panels in an industrial unit in the Cariri region, Ceara. The objective was to provide support for developing preventive and corrective measures in terms of Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). The case study, of a qualitative-quantitative nature, included stages of bibliographic and field research to identify the health impacts on workers resulting from the production process involving gypsum processing. The characterization of working conditions was obtained through observation of activities during on-site visits to the factory floor and the collection of information, including photographic records, as well as the application of a semistructured questionnaire among the workers. Thus, it was possible to outline the profile of the technical workforce and ascertain that, despite the measures already adopted by the company, there is still a high risk that the activities performed by workers in this industrial environment may lead to severe occupational diseases, both physical and psychological. The study also highlights the workers' exposure to an intense work pace, heavy lifting, and unsafe working conditions, such as unprotected machinery and inadequate signage. These results reinforce the need for actions aimed at improving the occupational health and safety of workers in this industrial sector. Keywords: Occupational Hazards. Occupational Health and Safety (OHS). Industry. Drywall Panels. A cadeia produtiva do gesso envolve desde a extracao da gipsita ate seu uso industrial, destacando-se o drywall como uma tecnologia de construcao que nao requer agua para montagem. A presente pesquisa analisou as condicoes de trabalho no acabamento de placas de gesso acartonado (drywall) em uma unidade industrial na regiao do Cariri, no Ceara. O objetivo foi fornecer subsidios para desenvolver medidas preventivas e corretivas em termos de Saude e Seguranca no Trabalho (SST). O estudo de caso, de natureza quali- quantitativa, abrangeu etapas de pesquisa bibliografica e de campo, com a finalidade de identificar os impactos na saude do trabalhador decorrentes do processo produtivo envolvendo o processamento da gipsita. A caracterizacao das condicoes de trabalho foi obtida por meio da observacao das ativi